From the rustic décor to the eclectic menu, you will always feel welcome at Bryn Mawr Breakfast Club, it's just like family. In fact, family is all around.
"You see here brothers, cousins, friends working here and people notice that we treat customers like family," owner Emmanuel Mejia said.
Mejia came to Chicago from Mexico when he was just 15. His parents put him right to work in various kitchens across the city.
Dishing With Diane: J's Breakfast Club in Gary
Later, with years of experience under his belt, he decided it was time to take a chance on himself. He poured his life savings into a restaurant, never took a salary, and even helped build the place himself. The first Bryn Mawr Breakfast Club opened in 2014.
"I put my heart on the business," Mejia said.
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At first things were slow, but soon he needed more space, and opened a larger spot across the street and things have been bustling ever since. The reason? The unique menu, inspired by the various ethnic restaurants he worked in.
From the Mexican inspired chilaquiles, served with beans and rice, plantains and with still crunchy chips, to a Korean pancake, served with Brussel sprouts, eggs and potatoes, to their extremely popular spin on bread pudding French toast that takes hours to perfect.
"This is so unique and fluffy, yes we bake it first for 45 minutes and then we let it sit, it takes two hours to make this dish," Mejia said.
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Customers just keep coming back.
"It's a go to never fail, delicious breakfast place," customer Megan Fernandez said.
"It's very warm its very welcoming it always has something to look at the food is delicious," customer Misha Newgren said.
They survived the pandemic, Manny never let anyone of his employees go things are so busy these days, he opened up two more locations to keep up with demand, and he even expanded to open a dinner spot. He is so grateful for everything he has managed to accomplish and still stays so humble.
So where does he see himself in years to come?
"Still in the kitchen working," he said.
Manny said he works alongside his staff all day long, jumping from location to location. When the breakfast restaurants close for the day, he starts working in the kitchen for his dinner location every day.
We are back exploring your favorite breakfast spots!
Our 3rd stop- J's Breakfast Club in Gary Indiana, dubbed the best breakfast in Gary!
You suggested it, and here we are! This is J's Breakfast Club in Gary Indiana.
For years J's has been serving up home cooked, homemade meals made with love.
Here at J's Breakfast Club in Gary Indiana you'll get all of the good eats, from chicken and waffles, shrimp and grits, fried green tomatoes to salmon cakes using old family recipes from Alabama.
What comes along with each and every meal is love.
"It's great," customer Melda Clark said. "I love it, yeah. First time here the food is good we will definitely be back."
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Owner Joslyn Kelly's triumph though, began with tragedy.
A senior in college, Joslyn and her new baby boy were managing things on their own for many years, until she knew it was time to come home to Gary.
She put her son through high school. He then decided after graduating, he would enlist in the Army.
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In 2014, she knew something wasn't right.
"I got a very eerie text from him, and something in my spirit said call him," Kelly said.
She did, and talked him through his rough day, not knowing that would be the last time they would ever speak.
"He said to me, 'Mom, I love you but I'm done living,'" Kelly said.
At just nineteen and a half years old, Jalyn took his own life, driving his car into the water near Fort Campbell Kentucky.
The hardship wasn't over. Six months later, Joslyn lost her job.
She needed a break and started to travel. On that journey ... an epiphany.
"Everywhere I went was a breakfast club and I said, 'OK God I got it,'" Kelly said. "I came back home that October and opened up J's Breakfast Club."
Now in a new building, just off of 80/94, J's breakfast club is always serving up delicious meals, smoothies and J-Mimosas as they are lovingly called. All in Joslyn's hometown.
"I've really felt I've been blessed by everything that I've gotten from Gary and with that I want to give it to people back," Kelly said.
And she is not done yet. She plans to expand her business, in Indiana and beyond, honoring her son along the way.
"I think he would be very proud," Kelly said. "I would hope he would say good job mom, good job."
If you or someone you know needs help, you can contact 9-8-8, the National Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. It runs 24/7. You can call, text or message at any time.
As for Joslyn, when she's not at her breakfast club, she also works with the community to engage and inspire residents to make positive changes to Gary and create opportunities for future generations.